The emerging line-up of super-sized Android smartphones is set to expand this year with the launch of several new models, including one from South Korean maker LG Electronics.

Source: LG Electronics

The Optimus G Pro.

Though the jury’s still out on whether “phablets” – smartphones with screens five inches and larger – will become a popular first choice for consumers, smartphone makers are apparently betting demand will be robust enough.

“The move to offer larger-display smartphones reflects the efforts of both device and panel makers to differentiate their products,” said Vinita Jakhanwal, director of small and medium displays at IHS iSuppli in a recent research note. “With consumers demanding more lifelike viewing experiences, the trend to offer such devices makes perfect sense, especially considering the increase in rich content that is being made available on smartphones.”

Several phablets will be introduced in Japan from January to April. LG Electronics will offer a variation of its most popular smartphone model: the Optimus G Pro for the Japanese market will have a five-inch screen, a bump up from the handset’s original 4.7 inches. A person familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal that another version of the phone, with an even bigger 5.5-inch screen, could be launched in Korea and other global markets later this year.

In South Korea, Pantech said it has plans to launch a new smartphone with a 5.9-inch screen next week. The company hasn’t yet revealed the name of the new model.